SECOND-GUESSING Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

second-guessing

verb

present participle of second-guess

as in outguessing

Related Words

Relevance

as in reasoning

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-guessing

Verb

When the Timberwolves put the Nuggets over their knee and spanked them, there were so many to blame — Gordon’s aching body, Peyton Watson balking at playing, Murray’s shooting, Christian Braun’s timidity — that Jokic was almost spared.

— Troy Renck, Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2026
Several budget hawks and conservative economists are already balking at the idea – a bad sign when just a few Republicans in either chamber can, until the voting margins change, tank pretty much any measure.

— Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of balking

Verb

While most judges have categorized such requests as overreaching or for an improper purpose, two out of three judges on the panel ruled that there was nothing out of line about the QueerDoc request.

— Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 20 Aug. 2026
Republican lawmakers disagree, saying that the approval is just another example of an overreaching government.

— Tom Wait, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of overreaching

Verb

In the comment section, amateur lawyers are analyzing the case.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
The progression from vessel impact to environmental damage is clear to see in many cases, said Brian Barnes, who is part of a group of satellite oceanographers at the University of South Florida analyzing the effects of this war from afar.

— Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of analyzing

Verb

Without his wife by his side, George, so confident in his business dealings and so adept at outmaneuvering the old-money elites whose hold on American enterprise is loosening, is unmoored.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2026
The original 1960s cars had legendary status dominating the Monte Carlo Rally, outmaneuvering heavier machinery across icy mountain passes with lightweight agility rather than brute off-road hardware.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of outmaneuvering

Verb

As of this month, 50 people identified on the list still work for the government, the Post found, by reviewing LinkedIn profiles, federal employment data and social media.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
The controversy required substantial administrative resources, Bowles said, including reviewing extensive chat records, investigating complaints and coordinating assistance for affected students.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of reviewing

Verb

Situated on Plaça de Catalunya, it couldn’t be better located for exploring the city centre or getting out to other districts.

— Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
These requirements suggest that Meta is exploring ways to make humanoid robots easier to interact with in everyday environments.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of exploring

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

second-guesses

second-guessing

secondhand

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Second-guessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-guessing. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of second-guessing

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fulsome

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes